Tish's Blog Getaway in Baltimore? Definitely!
Just came back from two terrific days in Baltimore. My friend, Ginny, and I flew a Midwest Airlines regional jet out on Sunday morning; came back late Monday night. 
Plenty of time to take in the city’s famous Inner Harbor and a few other great nearby spots. Ginny had never been to Baltimore and really liked it.
Getting Around Town
Cab or Light Rail? From the Baltimore Airport (BWI), we had several options: shuttle, cab or light rail. Since the light rail platform was just outside the terminal door — literally, we chose that option. Just $1.60 fare. What a deal! Took it to the Convention Center stop, then walked about 3 blocks up Pratt Street to the Inner Harbor and our hotel. Would not recommend the light rail. Cost-cutting here should not be your main consideration.
Took a Yellow Cab back from our hotel to the airport. Just $27 plus tip. A flat fee for this route in either direction. Next trip, we’ll take the cab to and from the airport. Only 11 miles and about 20 minutes during rush hour.
Cabs Around Town. Good service around the Inner Harbor area. Cost just $7 from our hotel to Fell’s Point.
Water Taxi.Just $8 for the day takes you to about 17 sites around the Inner Harbor. Large, pontoon-like, covered boats. You can buy tickets at the Visitor’s Bureau. We thought this was the fun way to get around, but the service was not running on the day we wanted to use it — a bit too windy, I guess.
On Foot. Walking is always a good way to see more. Although we cabbed it to Fell’s Point, we walked back to the Inner Harbor, taking a bit of a walking tour of Little Italy along the way. Very nice.
NEXT: Our Elegant 4-Star Hotel at 2-Star Rates
TIPS:
1) Know Where You’re Going. Baltimore is a large, densely populated city. Make sure you check with your hotel concierge or the Visitor’s Bureau folks before you walk too far beyond the Inner Harbor area. Ask them what areas they’d recommend or wouldn’t recommend.
2) Don’t carry a purse. As in any big, crowded city, stash your credit cards, ID and cash in various pockets on your person. Or wear a hidden travel wallet around your neck or waist. Just keep enough cash or one credit card handy.
3) Check if the Water Taxi is Operating. It runs year ’round, except in thunder storms or high winds. But there is no indication at the landings whether or not it is in service that day. We found out the hard way. Waited close to an hour outside the Aquarium before we found the Water Taxi number and called. It didn’t seem particularly windy, but they were not operating. I’m sure the Visitor’s Bureau would check for you. The good news is that the ticket does not expire, so we’ll use it on our next visit.
